Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



2 Sheetsr-Shee't I.

F W FREUNB BREEcH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

Patented Nov. "1,18'76.l

Z A M,

A 2Sheets-#ShiaestZ F. W. FREUND. BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARH.

Patented Nov. 7,1876.

wines/desi" THE GRAPHIC CUJLY.

` the operating parts.

. FRANK W. FREUND, OF GHEYENNE, WYOMING TERRITORY.

IMPRVENIENT IN BREECH-LO'ADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1l4,203, dated November 7, 1876; application filed February 23, 1876.

CASE A.

To all Iwhom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK W. FREUND, of Cheyenne, in the county of Laramie and Territory of Wyoming, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Guns, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a partial section and side view of my improved gun, the line of section cutting off one of the cheek-pieces and exposing the operating mechanism in rear thereof as the same appears after the arm has been fired.

' Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the same, showing the arm in the act of being loaded.. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are detailed views of parts of the arm. Fig. 8 is a top view, Fig. 9 a bottom view, and Fig. 10 a side View, of my improved gun after removal of Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the operating parts, and the triggerplate removed from the gun and in the same position as they occupy when within it, as shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15 are crosssections in the line 'n u, x m, y y, z z, respectively, (shown in Fig. 1,) showing the connections of the several movable parts with the trigger-plate and with the arm. Fig. 16 is a bottom view of the spring. Fig. 17 is a modification of one of the operating parts.

The main object of my invention is to make a gun which has its breech and lock mechanism within a breecl1-frame which is closed at its sides, without making perforations through the sides or cheeks of the framefor theinsertion of screws, pins, or other similar fastenings; and another object of my invention is to make such arm with a lock and breech mechanism,

:the different parts of which are adapted to interlock together and to the frame, and to be pivots, bearings, lugs, and recesses on and in them, so that the interlocking of these parts with one another, and with the breech-frame, barrel, and stock, may be effected without separate screws, pins, keys, or other similar fastenings, and the whole secured by a final fastening, which may be operated by hand, and by operating said nal fastening all the parts may be removed from the arm together, and any one of the interlocked parts separated without thevremoval of pins or screws, and without the aid of instruments; and another object of my invention is to greatly improve the construction and operation of breech-loading fire-arms in other respects than vthose specially mentioned above, as will be hereinafter set forth.

The nature of my invention consists in certain constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter described and specifically' claimed, whereby the objects above mentioned are secured in a very simple manner, and at the same time the following results are produced: First, the line of resistance of the breech-piece and its locking-piece to the explosion in the gun is caused to come in the center line of the gun-barrel, thus insuring the greatest strength; second, great facility for inserting the cartridge is secured 5 third, the number of separable parts of the breech and lock mechanism ofthe gun are reduced, as the parts respectively have their functions multiplied, and detached pins and screws are not used, except in one instance, and in that instance even it may be avoided; fourth, provision for removing all the parts ot' the breech and lock mechanism is'made by simply removing the trigger-plate, and when thus removed all the parts can be removed and replaced by hand without aid of instruments, and when all the parts are adjusted for insertion into the breech-frame they can be inserted and fastened Without the aid of instruments; fth, the trigger-guard is made the means for opening, folding up, and closing the breech-piece and its locking-piece, and half-cooking the arm 5 siXth, the trigger. guard is kept from casual motion by the force ofthe mainspring; seventh, the cartridge is forced into the gun-,barrel by the operation of the breech-piece; eighth, a breech-frame which has the whole mechanism between its sides or cheeks, and serves to aid in sustaining the 'block F when the'breech is opened. 'breech-block E is' provided with journals e,

ythe lower bearing for said journals.

and retains the back end c of the trigger-plate C. The front end c of the said trigger-plate rests upon the bottom part of the barrel, and is kept there by a sliding wedge, D. The said wedge is made to slide on a dovetailed head, a, below the barrel A, by means of dovetail guides d formed on the wedge. A T-shaped opening, as at d1, is made through the wedge to enable the operator to slip the wedge D on or off the head a. Near the hole d1 the wedge -D is provided with a forked head, D1, and

two flat prongs, cl2, which are inserted with about one-half of their breadth in notches a1 in the front end of the breech-frame, and the remaining breadth in notches c2 of the triggerplate, as seen in the drawings.

rThe upper part of the head D1 bears against the end c1 of the trigger-plate, and keeps it against the barrel A. Aprojection or step, a2, on the barrel bears against the front end c1 of the trigger-plate, and thereby prevents a horizontal movement of the same.

To adjust the wedge to its permanent place, when in position, the shoulder on the forward part of the wedge is made to bear against a shoulder above a cut in the forward part of the stock-or breech-frame, which will adjust the wedge to its proper place and hold it there against further movement toward the lock of the arm, while the rear portion of the shoulder, which is attached to the barrel, will bear against the front shoulder of the triggerplate', and thereby prevent forward movement of the said plate.

The wedge can also be permanently attached to the arm and hooked into the front of the stock, in place of having it to.slide into the stock or'breech-frame, and thus answer the 'same purpose.

stands in a vertical position, and the lockingblock in a horizontal position when the breech is closed; but both occupy an inclined position, the breech-piece E lying flat on top the The which have their bearings in depressions b2 in the sides of the breech-frame, and are kept in position by stays el on the trigger-plate, which are fitted into the said depressions and form A segmental shield, El, concentric with the journals e, is attached to the breech-block E, which "bears against' the lower front corner e2 of the breech-frame, and thereby prevents the entrance of dust and other injurious matter into the room below when the said breech-block is turned down. The breech-block E is also provided, as shown in Fig. 3, with a slot, e3, for the reception of a swinging cam-head, G, on the trigger-guard H, which is there secured by a pivotpin, g2. From the foot ot' the breech-block E two semi-crescent prolongations, g, extend backward at either side of the cam-head G, the purpose of which is to receive and operate the forward end of the horizontal breech-locking piece F at its lowest position.

A step, f, Fig. 11, serves as a check against the upward movement of the said horizontal piece beyond the center line of the gun-barrel. The back end F of the piece F is semicircular, and has a semicircular bearing in the abutment b3. The Aconnection between the trigger-guard H and the cam-head G is effected by a neck, 7L, the straight part h of which stands at a right angle to the trigger-plate when at its normal position, as seen in Fig. 1, and is entirely outside of the trigger-plate when swung to the front for loading, as seen in Fig. 2. By this construction ofthe neck la, the length of the slot h1 of the trigger-plate in which it moves may be reduced to a minimum, whereby the trigger-plate is not unnecessarily weakened. The cam head G is also provided with a neck, G', having a rounded head, g1, which head pushes the piece-F down by means of the neck-piecef1 on the lower side of the latter. The piece F is flared at f2, near its forward end, so that it may be lifted into its normal position by the forward swinging head g1. The said head g1 when in its normal position is turned a little beyond its vertical center, and is then embedded in a notch, e5, in the breech-piece E. Through the center of the piece F, and through a slot, b4, of the anvil-abutment b3, the center firing-pin AI is passed into the breech-piece E, so that only the teat t' passes through the latter, and projects far enough from the other side to reach and explode the center-firing cartridge. The breech-piece E is, for the above purpose, provided with a perforated socket or stepped hole, il, as seen in'Fig. 2.y The tiring-pin I is provided with a flat neck, i2, whereby the head gl may operate to push it back out of the socket il in the breech-piece E, and against the hammer L, moving it to half-cock. The said neck 'i2 moves in an open slot, f3, of the breechblock F, which slot is continued to the semicircular end F', so that the firing-pin I may be removed from the said block. The hammer L is of the usual construction, except that the cam l with the ratchets for half-cock and full cock are not below it, but attached to one side of it, so that the mainspring M may pass them. The said mainspring M is fastened in front of the hammer in a dovetail groove, m, of the trigger-plate C by means of a dovetailed wedge-head, m1, at the end of the mainspring,

usages 3 and it operates the hammer by means ot' a tail-piece, l1. The wedge-head m1 is inserted into the groove m by holding the mainspring at a right angle with the trigger-plate, and by then turning the mainspring into its normal position the wedge-head m1 wedges and fastens itself in the said groove m. rlhe hammer L is pivoted on a pin, N, which forms a part of a flange or lug, fn, ot' the trigger-plate C. The trigger N is inserted sidewise into a notch, al, in the trigger-plate, and pivoted to a pin, a2, in the said notch. "Ihe said trigger is operated in the usual way by a spring, m2, which is a branch of the mainspring M.

To take my improved gun apart, turn it upside down, after which the wedge D is pulled frontward, and slipped over the head a. The trigger-guard H is now swung frontward, and the hammer L thereby set at half-cock. The end 01 ot' the trigger-plate is then moved up from the barrel A and slipped out of its place, thereby taking along with it the trigger-guard H, the breech-piece E, the piece F, the hammer L, the spring M, and the trigger N. The pin g2 is made to drop out by its weight, and

then the breech-piece E is t'ree, and the trigger-guard H may be taken from the triggerplate. The trigger N' is slipped ott' its pin u2 and out ot' the notch al. The hammerL is slipped oft' its pin N, and finally the spring M is turned at a right angle with the triggerplate, and lifted from the groove m.

Ihe firing-pin may be taken out from the piece F by slipping it back in its bearing, and drawing its forward end away from said piece.

The gun may be put together again in working order by reunitin g the separate pieces in the reverse order.

Operation: It' the gun is to be loaded the trigger-guard H is turned forward, as shown in Fig. 2. The neck G by this act pushes the center-pin I, by means ot' the neck i, back against the hammer L, thus el'ecting a halfcock. The neck G next comes in contact 4with the neck f1 on the piece F, and the head g1 bears on the inner or top part ot' the said neck, thereby swinging the said piece down. At the same time the cam-head G enters the slot e3 and comes in contact with the lower end e4 or" the breech-piece E and turns the said breech-piece down upon the piece F, as seen in Fig. 2. The cartridge K is now inserted, and the trigger-guard H moved back. The neck G' lifts the piece F, the ared end ot which slides along the inner curved surface of the breech-piece E, and thereby'lifts it and finally forces it against the breech of the barrel A, where it becomes firmly locked by the head gl 'passing beyond the vertical center. The gun is now loaded, and so far ready for service that only the hammer has to be moved to full cock. The tiring-pin I is caused by the cartridge to project beyond the anvil abutment b3, and when struck by the hammer is driven on or against the cartridge and teat i, striking the fulminate, and causes the explosion to take place.

To prevent the locking-piece F from moving above its horizontal position the step f2 on the breech-piece E may be omitted and a step, o, as seen in Fig. 17, may be fixed on the back part ofthe piece F, which, by coming 1n contact with the anvil-abut-ment b3, would ef'- fectually check any movement beyond that wanted.

By using a forked guard-lever like the one patented to me March 16, 1875, the pin g2 in the trigger-guard H may be dispensed with.

The breech-piece E and locking-piece F may be so operated that the horizontal piece F is 'above the vertical breech-piece E when they are folded up, and I contemplate applying for Letters Patent for the said modification.

rlhe sliding Wedge D may be so attached to the gun-barrel as to constantly remain thereon. The pin'g may be omitted, and the guardlever may be so constructed as to have its bearing on one side ot the vertical breechpiece, and a cartridge-shell extractor may be on the same or on the other side, but without a separate-or loose pin for a bearing.

In Figs. 18 and 19 I have shown a modiiication ot' the invention whereby the cartridgeshell is extracted by the movement of the vertical breech-block. In the said tigures, E represents the vertical breech-block, the segmental shield E otl which is provided with a hook, p. An extractor, P, is fitted into the metal ofthe gun, just below the cartridge, and with its head p1 resting against the rim ot' the cartridge, and is provided with a hook, )2, below its head, by which the hook lo may pull out the extractor when the breech-block E is moved down, thus extracting the cartridge.

A cartridge shell extractor similar to the one shown and described in my application designated as 13, to be tiled hereafter, is

contemplated to be used by me in connection with the invention herein described, and in such use the separate pin g2 shown in this application A will be dispensed with in the construction ot' the gun.

Other modes beside the pivoted triggerguard may be adopted for operating my breech mechanism; as, for instance, the substitution for the swinging trigger-guard of a side hand-lever, or by a hand-lever on the locking-piece F, or by the hammer constructed especially for that purpose. The different moditications enumerated will all be embodied and represented in drawings and presented to the Patent Office for the purpose et' obtaining Letters Patent for them as soon as practicable.

Having thus described my improved breechloading gun, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The breech-trame, closed at its sides and constructed to receive and interlock with and aid in sustaining the movable and detachable mechanism ot' the tire-arm, whereby the necessity for perforations for screws and pins through the breech-frame is avoided, substantially as described.

2. The constituent movable and operating parts of a [ire-arm, interlocked singly and severally with one another, and sustained within the breech-frame substantially as described, whereby external screws, pins, or other iastcnings inserted through the breechtrame for connecting the parts together are rendered unnecessary, and the parts may he separated without the aid ot'instruments, substantially as described.

3. The constituent parts ot' the tire-arm held in their interlocked condition, and fastened together by a final fastening device, which is capable ot being operated by hand without the aid ot screw-driver or other instrument, and which. when operated, places all the parts in a condition to be removed from the breech-frame and separated by hand, substantially as described.

4. rlhe combination of the breech-piece E and breech-locking piece F, the former swinging ou its axis backward and forward, and the latter on its axis downward and upward, substantially as described.

5. The trigger-plate C, or its equivalent, su bstantiall y as described, for holding interlockcd or connected parts of a fire-arm in position in the breech-frame, sad plate C being adapted to be secured in position without the aid of screws, pins,or other fastenin gs passed through the frame, substantially as described.

6. The combina-tion, in a fire-arm, of two pieces, E and F, and a tiring-pin, I, arranged to operate substantially' as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination of the firing-pin I, hammer L, and lever H, or its equivalent, so arranged and constructed that the hammer is brought to the halt-cock bythe tiring-pin without moving the breech piece or pieces, as set forth.

8. The combination ot' a breech-piece, E, locking-piece F, trigger guard or lever H, and trigger-plate (J, constructed to operate in recesscs, cavities, or curved surfaces or axis, or their equivalents, and released by the removal ot' the trigger-plate, substantially as described.

9. The trigger-plate C, having a lange, n, constructed on one side thereof, and a permanent pin, N, in combination with the hammer L, constructed and operated substantially as described.

10. fihe detachable trigger-plate G, having a notch, al, and a permanent pin, a2, in combination with the trigger N', constructed and operated substantially as set forth.

1l. The'spring M, havingtwo prongs, formed by splitting one end ot' the spring, in combination with the trigger and hammer, in the manner shown and described, whereby said spring is adapted to operate by one prong upon the hammer, and by the other upon the trigger, as set 'orth.

12. r1he spring M, provided with a dovetailed head, m1, in combination with the trigger-plate, provided with a correspondinglyshaped recess, whereby said spring is attached by inserting` its head in said recess, and giving it a parcial turn, as described.

13. The combination ot the hammer 1:1, the trigger N f, spring M, and detachable triggerplate O, arranged so that, when the plate C is removed from the frame, the other pieces specified may be detached from or attached to the trigger-plate without the removal of pin or screw, or the use of any instrument, substantially as described.

14. flhe combination ot' the slide D or an equivalent, and barrel A, constructed with a lug, a, for the purpose ot' fastening the triggerplate in position, substantially as described.

15. The combination of the slide D, the trigger-plate G, and the front of the stock or breech-frame, constructed as and for the purpose set forth.

16. The combination of the breech-piece E, locking-piece F, firing-pin I, and lever lil, substantially as and for the purpose described.

17. The trigger-plato (J, having shoulders el, with bearings, to hold the journals cI of the breech-piece E, substantially as and tor the purpose described.

18. The breech-frame B, having recesses b2 for the reception of the journals e of the breech-piece E and ot' the shoulders e of the trigger-plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

19. rlhe frame B, provided with the-inclined slot b1, adapted to receive the end c of the lock-plate (J, and which, in connection wlth the slide or key D, serves as a means for attaching said plate C, as described.

20. The frame B, having an abutment, Z13, with a semicircular bearing for the piece F, and a slot, b4, for the tiring-pin I, substantially as and for the purpose described.

21. The piece F, having an opening,f3, on its under side, which communicates with the passage for the tiring-pin, and extends nearly the entire length of said block, in combina` tion with a tiring-pin, provided With an abut-i ment, i2, by which longitudinal movement ot the tiring-pin within the block is permitted, as set forth.

22. The beech-frame B, having notches al for the reception of the prongs cl2 ot' the slide D, substantially as set t'orth.

23. The trigger-plate O, having notchesc2 for the reception ot' the prongs d2 ot' the slide D, substantially as set forth.

24. The triggerguard I-I, having the construction shown at la, gl, and 11.6, substantially as and for the purpose described.

25. The combination ot wedge D, shoulder a2 on the barrel, and the front ot' the stock or breech frame, substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witness my hand in the matter of my application for a patent on a breech-loading tirearm this 3d day ot' February, A. D. 1876.

FRANK'. W. FREUND. l/Vitnesses:

F. THRALL, L. C. STEVENS. 

